Verlander Signs 5-Year Contract Extension

LAKELAND | Justin Verlander appears destined to be a Tiger for the rest of his playing days after agreeing to a contract extension Friday that will make him baseball's highest-paid pitcher again.

By DICK SCANLONLEDGER CORRESPONDENT

LAKELAND | Justin Verlander appears destined to be a Tiger for the rest of his playing days after agreeing to a contract extension Friday that will make him baseball's highest-paid pitcher again.

The Tigers announced Friday that Verlander has agreed to a five-year extension that will keep him with the team through at least 2019.

The 30-year-old Verlander will earn $20 million this season and again next season, and then $28 million in each of the five years after that (2015-2019). In 2020, when he is 37 years old, he will have a vesting option worth $22 million.

"Justin is one of the premier pitchers in baseball and we are thrilled to keep him in a Tigers uniform for many years to come," general manager Dave Dombrowski said in a release. "Justin has been a Tiger for his entire career and he is on pace to be one of the greatest pitchers in this illustrious franchise's history."

Since signing a five-year, $80 million contract in 2010, Verlander won the American League Most Valuable Player and Cy Young wards in 2011 and led the Tigers to the American League pennant last season.

He has a career record of 124-65 and an earned run average of 3.40 in 232 starts, all with the Tigers.

Verlander, who lives in Lakeland, will pitch the Tigers' regular-season opener at Minnesota on Monday night, his sixth straight Opening Day start.

Felix Hernandez of the Seattle Mariners recently signed a seven-year, $175 million contract to become baseball's highest-paid pitcher. Fernandez will make $27 million in 2019.